on going back to work

Oh, maternity leave, I had great plans for you. I was going to organize our apartment, get rid of some things on ebay, you know–be productive.

Instead, I’ve had my dishes done for me more times than I can count.

Friends have cleaned my bathroom (!) and cycled my laundry.

Family members have vacuumed every room of the apartment.

Countless meals have been made for us by loved ones.

And then there’s all the people who have held Jack so I could nap, or run errands, or take a shower.

Maternity leave has been an exercise in humility. It has simultaneously proven to me that I cannot do it all, and that the support of our community means I don’t have to. So I am humbled. By love shown to us by those we are privileged to call friends & family. By love for our little boy, who daily delights and surprises us.

And now, maternity leave is over. (Where did it go?!)

Beginning Monday, I return to the workforce as part of the Communications Team at our church, Christ Presbyterian. Additionally, I’m working as a freelance writer, editor, and project manager for Open Book Communications. These are both new positions, as I resigned from the college I’d been with for 2+ years when Jack was born.

This new situation is answer to prayer: the church hours are part-time, the freelance hours are flexible (I can work on many projects in my yoga pants on the couch), the type of communications work is exactly what I want to be doing, and best of all, Jack will come with me since there is childcare in the building. I can even keep breastfeeding!

See? Maternity leave: God is faithful. Back to work: still faithful. No surprise there.